Neg Feedback Deserving Behavior

[2tonic]

I didn't try to justify the OP's every question, rather I criticized the sellers refusal to answer ANY!
He couldn't step on a scale and report the weight?
You know he has one, he selling and shipping stuff on ebay.

Would you ever find yourself in the position of taking an item on trade, or buying it, and knowing nothing about it? Not even some basics?
Quick route to being ripped off.

 

[1bassplayinfool]

If the seller can't give full disclosure, walk away. Not much sense getting into a "spit are argue" situation... my .02

 

[Nevada Pete]

Myself personally, I just can't see ever buying a musical instrument sight unseen / not played prior to sale unless the seller is a major retail outlet like Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, etc., with a solid refund policy. Otherwise, good luck with that! For my money, too many things can go wrong.

 

[Jazz Ad]

If I received such comment from a potential buyer, I would cease all contacts immediately. OP smells like a huge pile of problems before the sale is even done.

 

[KohanMike]

I bought a used Ovation ukulele about a year ago from an individual on eBay. When it arrived, I went in the back access panel to replace a dead battery and discovered it was infested with tiny roaches and nests. I immediately contacted the seller and he apologized that it was his sisters who died and it had been sitting in the back of a closet and he never inspected, just boxed it up and sent it. He paid for return shipping and gave me a full refund. My point being that people don't necessarily know the details of an item they're selling, but the seller did not have to respond as he did.

 

[PraiseBassing]

Reading the item description tells you that the seller is not an uninformed or “the average” player that some are trying to make them out to be.

From the item description:
“
Gorgeous lightly played, custom made, with FENDER LICENSED Warmoth neck and body Jazz Bass. Poly finishes are both by Warmoth. Well in excess of $1,400.00 worth of parts here, but must sacrifice. Too many guitars. Hurts to let this one go, but can only play one at a time. Swamp Ash body, Birds Eye highly figured maple neck. Pau Ferro fingerboard. Barely a mark on this instrument and definitely NO chips. Hip shot vintage classic reverse wind tuners with matching drop tuner and additional matching regular tuner included. At one time had standard Fender 5 hole bridge with traditional Jazz bridge cover. Could easily be reverted to that. Those covers are readily available on line. Originally wired for 18V active preamp. Decided to go with the more organic sounding passive harness. Hipshot badass style bridge with brass saddle inserts. Bartolini B Axis hum cancelling pickups sound incredible. Head stock logo done with laser cut vinyl by a sign shop using the same material as car graphic wraps. 3 dimensional and beautiful. It’s not OEM Fender, though the quality is much better. Imagine the cost of getting Fender’s custom shop to put this together. also new tweed case

shipped to continental usa only”
Sounds like they know a lot about the bass... At the very least it sounds like they would know if it had electrical or mechanical issues like the OP asked...

 

[beaglesandbass]

There is a recent thread discussing negative feedback and whether a particular seller deserves it. I cast my thoughts in that thread and would like to share an experience that happened just today. THIS is what Negative Feedback behavior looks like:

The Item:
warmoth bass guitar awsum build with new artist tweed hsc | eBay

The Dialogue:

Me: Hi:
I have a questions about your jazz bass:
Is the neck standard taper or slim taper? Does the neck have steel rods or graphite rods?

How much does the bass weigh?

Can the action be set low without buzzing and other playability issues?

Are there any mechanical or electronic issues?

Sorry for so many questions. I can't hold it and play it so I have to ask.

Thanks,
Bob

Seller: hi bob I really cant answer your questions as I took this on trade. but heres the warmoth site may help a bit

Invalid Link Removed

Me: You can't answer ANY of my questions? Do you actually have the bass?

Seller: lol your an ass remove your bid plz

Seller: plzz renove

Me: This bass didn't sell last time you listed it. I was prepared to spend good money on it but NO WAY I'm getting involved with an ass like you. Pls remove my bid.

True story.

Well, unless things have changed, you can only leave feedback for completed transactions. Snarky interactions between the two parties don’t count. So no, this isn’t worthy of negative feedback.

True story.

 

[beaglesandbass]

The seller has been on eBay since 2002, with 100% feedback in the past 12 months over 109 transactions, with a total feedback score of 2553. With 5 (or close to 5) star ratings in all categories. If they really replied how OP claims, I'm thinking those numbers would be a little lower. OP's "conversation" now seems a little suspect to me.

 

[mcnach]

This is what I saw:

- You saw a bass you were interested in.
- You asked questions about the bass.
- Seller was unable or unwilling to answer these questions.
- You became snarky.
- Seller asked you to go away.

IMO no need for negative or any feedback.

+1

OP became impatient and snarky... with a seller that didn't seem too bothered to answer questions in the first place. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[mcnach]

I wouldn't be able to answer most of those questions, either. Sending you to the website for the specs so that you could learn more about the model seems like a reasonable response. If he's flipping the bass, he might not have even played it, and if there are already bids, there's already someone else he knows he can sell it to without doing so much work.

+1

Tech specs, maybe one can find, but may not be so easy when it was a bass built by someone else... so I'd be reluctant to state any details I am not 100% about.

WEight and dimensions, I can measure, and would give a prospective buyer that, of course.

But when someone asks me if it can be set very low without buzzes etc, it makes me uncomfortable. I imagine someone who does not do their own setups and might come back to me complaining if there's any little buzz anywhere.

On the whole, I think the transaction went as well as anybody could have hoped for, and probably for the best it didn't happen. For both parties.

 

[mcnach]

When you question the sellers integrity, you pretty much deserve the response you get.

+1

 

[mcnach]

It's a Warmoth custom build. Neck spec could be anything. Weight could be anything. Build quality could be anything. Mechanical and electronic integrity could be anything. So as a buyer I asked. There are no published specs on this bass.

There was nothing wrong with those questions.

The seller replied somewhat lazily, but was still polite.

Things took a turn with your unfortunate response after that.

We all have bad days sometimes. It happens, but it's good to recognise that.

 

[db59]

Guys, not all (or even most) musicians are as knowledgeable or anal about equipment as the average TBer. Someone lists a used bass here in the classified for $275, with 8 photos showing every nick in the finish, and within 30 seconds someone asks what it weighs, and wants more photos.

GC lists a new bass for five times that, with no mention of weight, and lists a used bass for $800 with just a vague, general discription of condition, and it sells.

TRUTH!!!!

 

[GregC]

Guys, not all (or even most) musicians are as knowledgeable or anal about equipment as the average TBer. Someone lists a used bass here in the classified for $275, with 8 photos showing every nick in the finish, and within 30 seconds someone asks what it weighs, and wants more photos.

GC lists a new bass for five times that, with no mention of weight, and lists a used bass for $800 with just a vague, general discription of condition, and it sells.

But GC also has one of the easiest return policies on the planet. And a brick and mortar location to see the bass in person if you're local or have a friend in the area. And couldn't the bass also be returned to any GC?

 

[cnltb]

Immensely stupid, to call anyone an ass online.

 

[GregC]

The seller says he took it on trade, so probably not a musician. Maybe a pawn shop, something like that. This whole conversation is equivalent to something like this:

For sale: 2010 Corolla in great shape

buyer: Hi, how much does the car weight? What’s the compression ratio of the engine? Is it an aluminium alloy? Is there drive ability issues I’m 3rd gear? Can I accelerate from 0-60 without squealing the tires?

Me: I don’t really know, I’m not really a car guy. Here’s a link to the specs

buyer: You ass! Do you even have the car??? Negative feedback!!

I agree the OP should have walked away. But imagine that 2010 Corolla is indeed listed in great shape, but it turns out the seller has never driven it and has no idea if there are any electrical or mechanical issues.

 

[lfmn16]

Well, your behavior was bad but I wouldn’t give you negative feedback.

 

[magyk8ball]

OP should have walked away.

No transaction took place, no feedback can be provided on such said transaction.

These negative feedback posts and horror stories really make me not want to sell anything online. Too much risk and work on my part as a seller to deliver and meet expectations.

 

[buldog5151bass]

But GC also has one of the easiest return policies on the planet. And a brick and mortar location to see the bass in person if you're local or have a friend in the area. And couldn't the bass also be returned to any GC?

You miss my point. The average person is not as obsessive. To a lot of sellers, asking a lot of questions like that would make him seem like a tire kicker. If we were buying a used Toyota Yaris, we probably would be asking about compression ratios on the engine, and what brand tires and oil filters were on it.

 

[lfmn16]

Reading the item description tells you that the seller is not an uninformed or “the average” player that some are trying to make them out to be.

From the item description:
“
Gorgeous lightly played, custom made, with FENDER LICENSED Warmoth neck and body Jazz Bass. Poly finishes are both by Warmoth. Well in excess of $1,400.00 worth of parts here, but must sacrifice. Too many guitars. Hurts to let this one go, but can only play one at a time. Swamp Ash body, Birds Eye highly figured maple neck. Pau Ferro fingerboard. Barely a mark on this instrument and definitely NO chips. Hip shot vintage classic reverse wind tuners with matching drop tuner and additional matching regular tuner included. At one time had standard Fender 5 hole bridge with traditional Jazz bridge cover. Could easily be reverted to that. Those covers are readily available on line. Originally wired for 18V active preamp. Decided to go with the more organic sounding passive harness. Hipshot badass style bridge with brass saddle inserts. Bartolini B Axis hum cancelling pickups sound incredible. Head stock logo done with laser cut vinyl by a sign shop using the same material as car graphic wraps. 3 dimensional and beautiful. It’s not OEM Fender, though the quality is much better. Imagine the cost of getting Fender’s custom shop to put this together. also new tweed case

shipped to continental usa only”
Sounds like they know a lot about the bass... At the very least it sounds like they would know if it had electrical or mechanical issues like the OP asked...

Maybe he copied and pasted from the original ad.